The Potomac Hotel, Autograph Collection

I fell in love with the Room!

10.0

I LOVED my room! I had a one bedroom suite and it was clean and BEAUTIFUL! I loved it so much from the gorgeous bathroom to the stunning living room area that I had to add another night to my stay. The hotel was not far from the train station so I had no issues with the short ride there. The hotel was very close to the Wharf which was beautiful and had plenty to do and plenty to eat. We really enjoyed La Vie since we were unable to try Dogon within the hotel. The hotel staff was very nice and friendly. So thankful to Jeremy and his team for making me feel welcome! I can’t wait to come back!

Beautiful Hotel, Amazing Spa, and Great Location

8.0

I had an excellent stay at the Salamander DC and would absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting Washington, DC. The room was spacious, spotless, and very comfortable, making it the perfect place to unwind after a day of sightseeing. The hotel's location is another standout feature—it's conveniently situated near many of DC's most popular attractions, restaurants, shopping, and the National Mall, making it easy to explore the city. The food was fresh, flavorful, and consistently well prepared. Every meal we had was enjoyable and complemented the overall experience. The true highlight of my stay was the spa. The facilities and amenities were exceptional and created a peaceful, luxurious atmosphere from the moment I arrived. I especially want to recognize Shaniece, who provided one of the best spa experiences I've ever had. She was warm, professional, knowledgeable, and attentive to every detail. Her expertise and genuine care made my treatment incredibly relaxing. If you're planning a spa visit, I highly recommend requesting Shaniece—she is outstanding. Overall, my experience at Salamander DC was deserving of a 4.5-star rating. The combination of beautiful accommodations, excellent dining, an unbeatable location, and an incredible spa made for a memorable stay. With just a few minor refinements (check-in communication), it would easily be a five-star experience. I look forward to returning on my next trip to Washington, DC.

The Salamander SPA in DC

10.0

This review is only for the Salamander SPA. The SPA, unlike the hotel room bathrooms, was SPOTLESS.& SANITARY. My masseuse, Shaniece, was amazing!! Shaniece was sweet, professional, & had extremely strong hands.She gave a wonderful deep tissue massage, and my skin was THE SOFTEST & MOST HYDRATED it's ever been after the Zen Body Treatment Can't wait to return!!

Great Hotel, disappointing stay

6.0

Great location and easy to get anywhere in DC. The hotel has a nice atmosphere, and we booked it through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, so between the benefits and discounted rate it ended up being a pretty good value. That said, the stay was pretty underwhelming. Our original room was nice, but the AC wasn't circulating air properly and the room got uncomfortably warm. The hotel moved us the next day, but the replacement room was noticeably smaller and not really comparable to what we had originally booked. They explained they didn't have another similar room available. To their credit, management refunded half the cost of our first night and gave us a $100 property credit, which we appreciated. The hotel itself was quiet, room service was fast, and the amenities were good. The food was okay, but the lounge downstairs was by far the biggest disappointment. Service was slow, orders came out wrong, drinks took forever, and we were even charged twice for one of them before I pointed it out. I mentioned the experience to hotel management and was told someone from the food and beverage team would follow up, but nobody ever did. That's not the level of service I'd expect from a hotel in this price range. Overall, the location is the best part of the hotel. All of the monuments and museums were only a 10 minute uber away. I'd consider staying again if I got another good FHR rate, but at the regular price I'd probably look elsewhere.

Great stay at the Salamander

10.0

The Salamander was centrally located where we could easily walk to the wharf as well as the Central Mall. The hotel was clean and new and the staff were friendly and welcoming and knowledgeable.

Mediocre experience at premium prices

4.0

My family and I stayed at Salamander DC for one night on Saturday, July 18, and left feeling that the experience fell far short of what the hotel charges. At this price point, we expected attentive service, reliable basics, and a polished experience throughout the stay. Instead, we encountered a series of small but telling service failures that made the hotel feel poorly managed and not worth the rate. The issues began as soon as we arrived in our room. Both the body wash and conditioner dispensers were empty, which should have been caught before check-in. We also needed a toothbrush and called down to request one, but after waiting more than half an hour with no delivery, we had to call repeatedly to follow up. These are simple amenities and requests, but the lack of follow-through was frustrating after a long day of travel and set an unfortunate tone for the stay. Dinner at the hotel bar was another disappointment. The prices were high, but the quality did not match: my club sandwich arrived soggy and cold despite its premium price tag. In addition, a friend who joined us had their meal mixed up, resulting in a long delay while the issue was resolved. Mistakes can happen, but the food quality and the handling of the error did not feel consistent with a luxury hotel. Checkout reinforced the impression that guest service was not being managed with much care. The bellman was surly and unfriendly, and the situation in front of the hotel—with cabs and Ubers arriving and departing—was chaotic and appeared unmanaged. Rather than ending the stay smoothly, it made departure unnecessarily stressful. Overall, the stay did not deliver the service, hospitality, or attention to detail that the price suggests. DC has many hotels at a similar rate, and based on this experience, I would strongly consider alternatives that are more consistent and better equipped to provide the level of service guests should reasonably expect.